


The Forest Of Blue Iys

by SDarko



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, F/M, Fairies, Fantasy, Journey, Kingdoms, Labyrinth - Freeform, Magic, Mystery, Romance, Witch - Freeform, davidbowie, faefolk, goblincity, goblinking, grandstory, jenniferconnelly, jimhensonslabyrinth, possiblelightlysprinkledsmut, sarahwilliams
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:00:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25699210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SDarko/pseuds/SDarko
Summary: Lelana has lived centuries in the forest of Iys.  A forest in the underground in the eastern part of the land. Just west lives Jareth the Goblin King and his labyrinth. Past events intertwined themselves in an accidental event that must be untangled in order restore integrity of the underground. But shall this affect the kingdoms surrounding?
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- An arrival of disturbance. 

The water ran coldly against Lelana’s face. The leaves and foliage that surrounded her, carried the steam against the contrasting greenery and above the water below her balanced rock. This was the first shower she had taken in two days, the fairies of the forest had been keeping her busy. 

Their requests to leave the forest growing ever more irritating. Although she couldn’t deny the flicking of their wings. When fairies sense danger, or disruption their wings seem to flitter so much more quickly than that of normal circumstances. 

They wouldn’t stop talking of a mortal who had entered the underground. They could feel her soul, it was described as frightened and tired. The perfect meal for them. However for Lelana, it made her heart grow heavy. 

She remembered as the streams of water flowed through her hair and down her body. The curve of his face, and the feel of his warmth. The sound of his voice was remembered as her stomach dropped and her eyes began to swell with tears. “Damn them!” She said crashing her fists against the trunk of the flowing tree. “Blasted fairies, ruining a perfectly good day off.” She said. She felt the tingle in her hands as she willed the rock to lower from the falls and to the edge of the bank. 

The tingling continued, enveloping her body as a whole, as her gown appeared to cover her body. The soft pale green silk felt lovely on her skin, it was her favorite creation of her magic yet. Even though she’s possessed the gifts for nearly a century, her favorite was always the ease of dressing with her imagination and this one was by far her favorite.

The sleeves of the dress hung loosely, and turned into a sheer silk when it hit the ground, and the edges of the dress were all lined lightly with green vines. It complimented her skin tone well and her hair matched it too. 

“That dress...it’s so...perf-“ no. No, no. Lelana tried her best to push the memory to the back of her mind. After all, she was supposed to be relaxing today. With that thought in mind she quickly changed her choice of dress, going with a simple deep purple color with a rose centered directly at the edge of her chest. 

This one was just as good, beautiful and complimenting in the same manner as the green one. The only thing it lacked was long sleeves, instead taking on a cape like design at the back and a trail at the back as well made of silk. After her change was finished she grinned at her work and pictured her destination and willed it to be. And so it was. 

By the time the suffocating feeling had subsided she felt the warm moss beneath her and the smell of freshly baked goods filled her nose. “Lady Lily!” A child said as he started to jump excitedly near a stand of bread. Lelana felt her heart lighten at the sound of his voice. She loved her kingdom inside and out. The children especially. 

“Hello little one, mind you, have you got any bread for me?” She said kneeling to the mossy ground to his eye level. His cheeks were rosy and his face had specks of dirt and flour on them. As she finished her question his eyes lit up with the most endearing of looks. “Yes yes! Please! My papa and I made them this morning! We have boughnut bread and Waldorf bread and beetie bread an-“ “TOBIAS!” A heart voice called out behind him. 

The boy turned to the voice and waited for instructions, Lelana set her sights on a larger creature with a scraggly beard and large gut. His shoes were brown like he’d been in the dirt all day, and his clothes a bit stained from it as well. “Are you bothering the missus? What did I say about bothering the folks who walk by the stand? Especially the important ones! Now go wash your face, you’re in the presence of royalty.” His bellowing yet, struggling voice finished. 

Lelana stood before him, she did tower over her subjects, as she always did in this land. She held much respect for them as their fear had never shown itself when she arrived in the forest of Iys. She held them all dear to her heart. “Oh no sir, please, Tobias was simply letting me know of the variety you offer. He’s been a big help.” She said taking the small boys hand as she knelt down once more. The boys frown faded away as she did so. 

“Even so, the little scrap should wash up, his Ma has lunch on the way.” He finished. “Very well, go on and wash up little Tobias, when you return I shall give you a gift.” Lelana said. His eyes defeated the embarrassment that clouded them as he skipped off to the nearby river. Lelana smiled at the boy. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure my dear lady?” The bloated man asked while bowing before her. She too bowed her head in respect. “I’ve come to enjoy the sights of the village and got a slight pecking for food. When I smelled your wonderful breads, I simply had to partake in them.” She answered. 

The man raised his brows and smiled. “Well! Let me be the first to tell you that I am grateful for your compliment m’lady. What would you fancy? The billowmans bread stand has such a variety!” He said. The lady felt her stomach growl and took her pick of the goods. 

Lelana watched as the boy returned to the side of his father. While he was washing, the breadmaker and his now present wife told Lelana of a mortal who had wandered past the edge of the forest earlier this morning. Heading north. This made Lelanas stomach churn as she picked at her bread. 

It really was delicious however the mention of a mortal in her territory meant the fairies were right to be disturbed. She didn’t want to think about it in this moment though, Toby’s face was too delighted to receive his treat she couldn’t bear ruining the pure joy with her troubles. 

“Miss, Miss I’ve returned! I’m clean now!” He said out of breath from running. “Yes I see dear prince.” She said sitting down on the moss, children had gathered around to see the fuss of the lady of the forest and the now clean bread boy engage. “Now now, are we all here?” Lelana asked as the children made a ring around her, they all responded in different ways to her delight. “Alright, Toby this is for you.” Lelana held out her pointer finger and watched Tobias’ eyes widen as the empty fingertip was suddenly occupied by an iridescent, seemingly glass orb. 

Toby reaches his hand out to grab the orb and as he brought it back to his body he gasped at the change of the orbs figure. The children around him looked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the magic. Although her subjects lived in a world with magic, few had mastered it. The people of the lands had lost sight of it, or had banished it away. It was a lost gift, now reserved for those who have control over a land or those able to learn it through special circumstances. Lelana had to learn it from certain special circumstances but, even as centuries passed, she held onto it for dear life. 

“It’s a peach! Ma! Papa! It’s a peach!” Tobias shouted as he pushed through the crowd of children to show his parents. They both looked to his hands in awe, their faces plastered with bewilderment. Lelana smiled as she willed for a basket full of them to appear on the bread stand. “Mama!!” Toby shouted and pointed to the stand. The parents gasped as they rushed over to the peaches resting on the stand. 

The children all watched as the family relished in their gifts. “And this is for all of you.” Lelana said as she sat still, watching the children before her turn around looking in confusion. “I see it!” A small girl shouted, pointing to the sky. Orbs like the one that occupied Lelana’s fingertip began to fall slowly from the sky. The girl stuck her finger out to touch the orb for it to pop and a butterfly to appear fluttering its wings as it landed on her hand. 

As happy as the sight was Lelana was now pressed with urgency to return to her home. The feeling of uneasiness had consumed her being after a jolt of pain had risen in her soul as the children played with their butterflies and bubbles. She slipped away after taking one last looking at the joyful group of happy children and grateful parents that surrounded them. She must attend to matters. 

Lelana returned to her castle, heading straight for her study. Her crystals should show her the girl that had been so rudely interrupting her day off and soon she could help her find her way out of the forest and back to her rightful place. 

Climbing up the stairs she took in the scents of the foliage that grew around her so called castle. It was makeshift for her but to others of the forest clearly a place of royalty. The entrance was a long worded tunnel, the canopies kept the sun from reaching the ground except in slivers through the cracks of branches and leaves. The grand “hall” where her throne sat was merely the same except it was shaped more as a room than a tunnel. 

The stairs made up of stones carved from the mountainside. Though all other rooms resembled the others, the one that stuck out the most was her study. It was carved into the mountain side with a balcony for her to take flight from in her spirit. It allowed easy access to moonlight and sunlight for which was necessary for multiple spells during the practice of magik, and just off to the corner was her bedroom, also carved into the mountain. 

If anything it was more of a treehouse than a castle to Lelana. Though she felt ever so comfortable here. It was without a doubt a self made home from thousands of years ago. 

And with that more memories came flooding back to Lelana’s mind. Her first arrival to the underground, and her fall from above. Frustrated at the thoughts she let out a low groan. “Damn this day.” She said as she opened the doors to her study. 

Upon her wooden table were her crystals, each a different shape and color. A purple shard sat facing west, a red ruby sat directly above the middle facing north and a blue sapphire marquise cut stone sat facing East. In the middle she had a crystal orb that sat upon a stand made of brass and silk. It emanated light as she grew near. A low reddish glow, a sign of disturbance in the flow of energies throughout her land. 

She sat in her chair and cleared her mind. Focusing on the light and soon her face tingled as she kept her gaze on the led directly in front of her. Minutes passed as her orb showed her sources of disturbances, things that were normal all be it tragic, such as the death of a creature or villager, and things that were abnormal such as a crime held against a creature or villager. But, not once did she see a stranger, let alone a mortal girl. 

Her mind was racing as she recalled all the scenes that played before her. Frustration bigger now than before. Everyone spoke of this mortal today, some of them say they saw her on the edge of the forest headed north. Perhaps the ruby placed in that direction could hold some knowledge. She took the ruby in hand, and laid back against her chair. The tingling began again in her face and fingers. Closing her eyes to see what the ruby had to show her. 

In the north part of the forest there was a lake, and surrounding this lake today there was a celebration. A festival of sorts, the villagers north of here often hold celebrations, this time it was the beginning of harvest season being celebrated. Food was in abundance for them to prepare for winter. However, there was a strange scene playing through her mind. 

Amongst the merrymaking and drinking, there was a boy, not any older than 10 Lelana would guess, sitting alone by the lake. His face had a confused look as he reached into the water and pulled out a peculiar looking item. It was round, and colorful, much like a beaded necklace from the south kingdom of Raa. The boy studied it and Lelana tried to follow in his actions but, it seemed too blurry to do so. There was small slivers of light that she could see pulsing off of the artifact. 

Suddenly the sound of footsteps emanated from the halls and drew her out of the silence of her focus. She turned to see Baruut, her informant climbing the stones and entering the study. “M’Lady, I had come to see if you were really back so soon.” He said as he bowed to her. Lelana set her crystal back on the wooden table and lifted herself from the chair. 

“Yes indeed Baruut. There have been many a story of a mortal wondering wildly around my forest and I just had to see if it was true. It seems she causing quite a stir.” She answered before heading to the edge of her balcony and leaning over the stone fencing that kept it enclosed. “And your majesty’s findings?” The short wrinkled man asked. 

“Uncertain. Tell me master Baruut, have you received word from any other kingdom? About a mortal entering the underground? Normally the surrounding kingdoms will send it should they have one enter our realm to protect our people.” Lelana asked as she studied the sky and canopies that made up her kingdom. 

“I’m afraid not your majesty, would you like me to send word to the others that there could be one?” She turned around to face the small bearded creature. “No not now. I must confirm it. My crystals could not seek out the mortal even though I asked for them to. Perhaps the waves of energy are to disrupted.” She said. “If I may ask your permission to speak your majesty?” “Dear Baruut, you know you mustn’t ask that of me. You are free to.” Baruut bowed with appreciation. 

“Perhaps the mortal you seek is not mortal. There have been many stories from the past of mortals who have previously encountered the magik of the underground and have lived their days becoming more and more like the fae that live here. Although slowly.” He pointed out. 

Lelana pondered this moment. Perhaps the old man was right. What if it was a changling? That could pose even more danger than a normal human in the woods. They are unpredictable when it comes to their powers emerging within. Not only that but they could also disrupt the waves of energy in their surrounding areas, causing drops from reality and changing objects, people and animals into things that were not before. It is dangerous and must be heavily contained for it to pass through safely. Not to mention the training needed to control it. 

“Perhaps you are right. However, we won’t know until I find her.” Lelana said before turning back to the sky. The sun was setting. It was the perfect time to search. Everyone would be inside for the night besides the village that was celebrating she assumed. “Are you heading to look for her now your grace?” Baruut asked as Lelana stepped into her balcony edge. “Yes indeed. Please, feel free to finish the evening without me Master Baruut, I haven’t the slightest idea how long this will take.” 

And with that thought in mind Lelana stepped off the edge and willed her transformation to fruition. Baruut watched as the barn owl swooped over the setting sun and out into the forest. He wished her luck in finding the girl.


	2. Confusing Occurrences

Chapter Two - Confusing Occurrences 

As the night rolled in Jareth sat upon his balcony edge. Staring out into the orange sky and observing his Labyrinth. The day had been restless with Mirina, the queen of the fairies came to him with a plea to enter the labyrinth in search for the mortal who had entered it. 

Jareth was confused at this plea, as was Mirina when he had told her that no one had been in the Labyrinth in over a century. No one had been in it for so long that the foliage in the labyrinth became unkept and the creatures inside of it had turned to stone. Much of their statues could be seen from above. Forever unmoving until magic returned to free them from their stone cages. 

The places inside of the labyrinth had become docile and the wildlife had fled. Much of the structures inside of it had crumbled over time. It was a haunting sight even for Jareth who had brought in the death of his labyrinth himself. 

He felt the pang of guilt and the swirling contrast of feelings inside of him as he thought about it all. The girl from aboveground, Sarah, and her brother Toby. Their bond strong enough to enamor him. He wondered what it would be like to have that kind of relationship again. He obsessed about it day and night after their return to aboveground. 

Sometimes he would enter their world to just sneak a peek at their lives. Toby had grown exponentially since he had last seen him, his features looking less and less like they had before. And Sarah, now a young woman in college, had become ever so beautiful as well. Her features shaping out to be that of a Queen. 

This made Jareth’s heart ache in remembrance of his past. The things that could have been if she had stayed with him. However, he knew no matter how much he would give her, she would never come to love someone like him who had done what he did to her or her brother. 

So he embraced the death of his wishes for her. Taking time to grieve for his loss of companionship for the second time. Just as it happened before, he had moved along with his life, vowing to rule the kingdom in a different way. In the process, he had destroyed most of it. Without magic given to the labyrinth, it withered, and so did it’s people inside. Leaving only Jareth and the goblins alongside a few outer villages on the edge of the kingdom. 

Of course, he knew this would never win Sarah back but, his thoughts grew less and less of Sarah as time went on. Of course he still spilled magic into the aboveground to ease their pains and troubles as much as he could but, he knew the consequences of such actions were great. Mostly with Sarah herself. 

If he left trails of magic for her there was a chance she herself could become a changeling. A bearer of magic who is unbeknownst to it. As time passed, he stopped doing so out of fear that it would ruin their chances at a normal life. 

Instead focusing on himself and his kingdom. He spent many a day and night in the library of his castle. Reviewing history of the land and it’s people. He read the book of time, a forever changing book that tells major shifts in history of the underground. Each day it grew bigger and bigger. Every kingdom in the underground had one. It was a way to tell happenings in the land without sending word to other kingdoms. 

He always tried to avoid the chapter of his coronation and his upbringing but, his longing to see her face again got the better of him tonight. The chapter detailed only the shift in history. The impact of his father's actions and his own on the land. Yet, it still held the picture of her face. Lelana. 

Long ago he had been in love with her. Her smile. Her light. Her kindness, it warmed his heart. Still instilling sharp pains in him as he remembered everything the book did not depict. The night that it had all gone wrong. What happened. Only how he became king and she a queen but, not to be side by side as he once wished. 

Now he sat, in the darkness of the night replaying the picture of her face in his mind along with the troubling thought of the mortal who is loose in the land. He hadn’t felt any shifts in magic around his kingdom, so he assumed the mortal was somewhere near another kingdom. Perhaps King Sayamin may have heard word of this mortal. 

The fairies of course hadn’t the slightest clue of the whereabouts of a human girl. The most they could sense was if a mortal is within the realm. Judging by the fluttering of their wings, he knew someone was here but, couldn’t pinpoint it himself. 

After turning away the fairies he had sent word to the guard to contact King Sayamin about the mortal. Hoping to grasp some sort of sense of the whereabouts of them. 

There were too many things replaying in his mind for him to focus his magic. Too many griefs wept through him. And so he put it to rest for the night. Sitting at his desk with a book in his hand, Jareth slowly but surely dozed off into a less than restful sleep. 

————

Lelana flew over her forest, the smells of the trees and the moss filling her nose. The wind was calm as she headed north at first but growing ever so slightly raging. Nearly turning her off course.

Her eyes finally landed on the harvest celebration. The music sounded through her ears and the smells of baked goods and mead was strong, masking the smell of the earth. She landed herself on a nearby tree branch and scanned the area, searching for the boy she saw in the ruby. 

Just after 10 minutes she spotted the boy walking up the dirt path to the group of houses on the hill. She swung herself from the branch and landed with her feet back onto the earth. The tingling of her magik faded away as she took each step in her form. Soon her eyesight returned to normal as well. This particular group of villagers in her kingdom were her size as well. She needn’t have to bend over to speak with them directly to her delight. 

She followed the dirt path and continued her watch on the small boy. Stopping at a track he left on the path. She knelt down and grazed the earth with her fingers. Taking in the feeling of his own. He was very tired, and excited at the same time. Before she could piece together his excitement the feeling of his soul faded as he grew the distance too far from her reach. 

“Damn.” She whispered to herself. Before standing up. Looking around the small village she decided it was too late to ask the boy or his parents for the favor. Simultaneously deciding to sleep here for the night. She too was tired from a day of searching through the forest for a lost mortal, and turning back around to come here. “I should have come here sooner.” She said. She took one last look around the village before heading back south, looking for a place to rest in the forest. 

She nestled herself against a tree after creating a space for her to lie comfortably on. A pad of moss grew in size just moments before for her to rest on. As she rested her body upon it she soon found her mind racing with questions. The thoughts of the earlier day had come back to haunt her for a second time. 

Jareth. His eyes. And the fall of their relationship. The mortal, the fairies, and the worry of a changeling. It all kept her uneasy as she lay uncomfortably on the earth. The stars were particularly bright, distracting her from her thoughts and then giving way to them in the same motion. The thought of the vast nothingness of the sky made her feel uneasy as well. 

Soon, in her wake of unease and exhaustion her mind gave way to an unrestful sleep. 

That night, as the moon rose over the forest, Lelana dreamt of things yet to become. The winding corridors of the Escher room at the castle of the Goblin King made her feel dizzy inside as she slept. However, there were things odd that she noticed. Crystals would fall from the ceiling at every angle there was. Instead of floating to her and around her, they just fell. Bursting into a thousand pieces of glass. The sound in her mind was deafening. Enough to drive her mad. 

And so she ran through the room without thinking, passing by openings and staircases that lead to nowhere and everywhere at the same time. As she continued her desperate search for the exit she began to notice even more things. She would pass rooms and catch small glimpses of mirrors, holding the faces of people. People she had known, King Tredin, Jareth, Baruut, and people she had yet to meet. People she had never seen before. 

As she passed through a winding corridor she stopped in her tracks. The sound of a music box filled her ears. The shattering stopped. Inside of the room in front of her was a large crystal. It’s images passing through one another until a person came into focus. 

A girl. She had black hair that looked soft, and nearly invisible freckles on her face. She held the look of iron in her eyes as she spoke without sound. Lelana tried to move her feet but no avail. “What are you saying girl?” She asked, whispering. 

The sound of a clock filled her surroundings and the corridor beneath her fell. She fell through the air, welcoming the feeling of freedom as she did so. Until she met the ground. 

Lelana jolted awake. The sound of a clock piercing through the silence of the wood. She sat up off of the ground in search of the source of the noise. Her eyes coming to rest upon the sight of a grand clock, sticking up through the earth. The clock looked like it had been buried there ages ago but, Lelana hadn’t any recollection of seeing one before she laid to rest the night before. 

Had it always been there? Had she heard it before she slept? Who buried it? Questions arose in her mind that were too quickly passing before she got a full view of her surroundings. The trees were warped, as if a disease ran through the trunks of them. The sky was darkened in one area and held the likes of a void small but real and close to the trees. 

Lelana stood from her rest and continued her search for abnormalities. Amongst the void and clock she found nothing else out of the ordinary besides her aching stomach. She felt nauseous at the site. She knew of course the strange state of things in front of her that it had affected herself. The forest was as much a source for her as she the forest. Bonded by magic, they felt everything the opposite felt as well. 

She searched the area once more to look for any who had seen it. Then, cursed herself as she began to fix it with her magic. Willing the trees to return to normal and the void to dissipate. After they returned to normal, the turning in her stomach had retreated. She stepped back admiring her work before the sound of a twig snapped behind her. She twisted around quickly to try and spot the source of the noise to find a man with fishing gear under his arm. “M-M’lady Lily!” He said dropping the items and bowing before her. 

“Please, do not bow to me sir. We are as equals.” She said bowing her head in respect for the man. He returned upright and looked at her with fear subsiding in his eyes. “I apologize, may I ask as to what our village owes the pleasure of seeing you here.” She smiled and knelt down to retrieve the dropped items. “I am looking for a boy. Last night as the celebrations were held for harvest, he was playing near the lake. He had brown hair and wore odd colored shoes.” She said. The man accepted the items and thanked Lelana. “You must be talking about young Koda.” 

Lelana took a look around pondering. “He is the son of Maybelle and Chrusta. They live up the hill, make a living fishing around here.” The man finished. Lelana smiled at the man. “Which house is theirs?” She asked. “The house has Lily flower growing outside the door, and a small carved owl perched atop their fencing. You can’t miss it as you walk up the hill ma’am.” He finished. With the information in mind Lelana took one more chance to thank the man as well as wish him luck on his fishing and headed for the home. 

As she walked she felt the forest begin to awaken. The life inside of it filling her being as time went on. She began to think about everything over again as her feet hit the dirt path. If the area she had been sleeping in was warped when she arose this morning, perhaps the mortal was there as she slept. Of course there is always the chance that her dreams spilled over in the night as well. It was a great possibility considering how upsetting her dream was to her. However, the idea of the girl accidentally stumbling into her was also a great possibility. 

She spotted the wild lily flowers growing outside of a wooden house at the top of the hill. The old man was right, you wouldn’t be able to miss it. The rest of the houses surrounding the area had no fences, let alone carved statues upon the gates. She smiled to herself at the carved barn owl perched atop the fencing, wondering what possessed the family to carve such a thing. Opening the gate she felt a rush of blood to her head. The artifact she was looking for was near. Catching her feet, she straightened her posture out after her sudden rush. “That thing must be powerful if it is already causing me grief.” She whispered as she knocked on the door. 

“One moment please!” A woman's voice carried through the cracks in the door and window frames. Lelana studied the yard, flowers and stones splayed across the area. If the fencing reached around the house she would assume there would be a small garden at the back. “Yes Ma’am.” Lelana shouted back. As she heard the clanging of pots stop she spied through the cracks, a person stumbling to the door. The door flew open and a rather large woman with tied up brown hair and rosy cheeks stood before her. “My queen!” She said, her eyes widening. She bowed and Lelana put her hand up. “Please, please, my people are too kind to me, there is no need to bow love.” She said. The woman straightened out and nodded her head. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure M’lady?” She asked. Lelana looked around past her for a moment. Taking in the thick scottish accent through the scent of the lilies at her feet. “I believe your son to hold an item of mine that I seemed to have lost.” A confused look covered her face. Her brows furrowed before she nodded her head in response. “I see, do please come in while I fetch him for you Ma’am. I’m afraid he isn’t up quite yet.” She said giving way to the open home. “Please, I don’t mind waiting until he is awake.” Lelana stated before she stopped awaiting further instructions to move into the home. “In that case could I brew you some tea and carry you some bread?” the woman asked, closing the door and leading Lelana through the home to the kitchen. “That would be lovely Ma’am. Might I have a spoon of sugar with mine please. ” She asked. 

“Absolutely!” the woman replied. Her frame waltzing around the kitchen in such grace. She truly did love her people, they were so free, unique, and kind. They often reminded her of how she came to be the same. Above, Lelana was but a mere mortal who wouldn’t bat anyones eyes. She was restricted with rules and regulations on how she couldn’t do this or that but, the one thing that she always admired about herself was the talent for cooking and conjuring. Lelana had a knack for the craft. Cooking and baking were her favorite pastimes abovground. Down here, it was even more so a talent. She melded it into a power, something even more tangible than the food itself. Magik only made it more appealing to her. The spells, the elixirs, everything and anything that had to do with cooking could be used to some extent down here. 

“I do not mean to press on ma’am, however, I am a bit curious as to what her majesty has lost to this small village.” The woman said. “Ms. Maybelle I presume correct?” Lelana tried to confirm. The woman nodded. “Maybelle, it is a small item, one wouldn’t hold the significance I do to it. A trinket of jewelry perhaps, it seems as if I should have held it to deeper importance before.” Maybelle nodded and decided to push the subject no more. The woman set the cups down and took a seat across from Lelana. She blew the steam from the top and sipped at it as they made small talk about the village and it’s harvest soon to come. The sun had not nearly reached the center of the sky before sounds of children erupted through the small home. “That’ll be my sons.” Maybelle stated before lifting herself from the table. 

“You are very lucky to have more than one Ms. Maybelle, If I had courted myself a king long ago I believe that there may even have been a prince to rule over this forest. I do envy you.” Lelana said smiling as Maybelle smiled back before toddeling off to fetch the young child.She returned with a young skinny lad, with hair as brown as hers and a button nose. His eyes widened when he spotted Lelana at the table. “Mama, the queen is at the table!” Lelana let out a laugh in response before standing and walking to the boy. “Hello, you must young master Koda.” He looked up at her and nodded. “Yes Ma’am.” He said. His accent was just as thick as his mothers. “I believe you may have found an item of mine I have lost near the lake. I will let you have it if I could only bear it for a moment.” The boy had a confused look on his face. 

Soon it’s features shifted to a questioning. “If it is yours, how must it come to say ‘Seraw’ on it?” the boy asked. Maybelle flicked the back of his ear, to which he flinched before turning to meet the gaze of a disapproving mother. “Mind your manners child! This is our queen!” She scolded. Lelana returned upright. “It’s quite alright Ms. Maybelle. Children will be children, especially young men. However,” She turned her gaze to Koda, “I am not obliged to say, you must mind your mother dear boy.” She said. Koda peered at the floorboards. Kicking his toe into a lifted board. “Yes Ma’am. I apologize.” The boy turned from both of them to walk back into his room. When he returned he had a bracelet in his hand. 

The beads were colorful, much resembling the beads of Raa, although lacking in etchings of the ancient markings of the kingdom it supplied etchings of a name. ‘Sarah’ it spelled out. Lelana reached her hand to touch it only to be shocked by the sudden waves of emotion the jewelry emitted. She sucked in a breath before taking the beads from the boy. Letting the waves in and allowing them to flow freely through her. Off in the distance of her mind she heard a voice, although not saying words but rather making noises. Cries, soft but able to be heard. Lelana closed her eyes, trying to make the image of the source appear in her mind. She felt the rush of pins and needles hit her face as the beads emitted the energy. 

A girl in front of the ruins of Koren splayed out upon the stone steps. She breathed heavily and tears were able to be seen glistening on her forearms. Suddenly, the girl stopped crying before lifting her head to scan the area. Was it possible this girl sensed the magic? The pins in Lelana’s face were relieved when she opened her eyes. She peered down at the bracelet in her hands. “Peculiar.” She whispered. She held them out to young Koda before bending her knee to meet his gaze. “Thank you young man, this is yours, however I must point out that these beads do not read Seraw, but rather Sarah.” He nodded his head and accepted the beads again. 

Lelana said her goodbyes to the group of four now after breakfast was eaten together. She missed having someone to talk to during her meals, she craved companionship and children just as any other person in the land would. At least, any other like her and her subjects. She was herself a social creature much like she was aboveground before she took her leave. It was refreshing to join in with a family, making her realize how much she craved children of her own. Though no one she met had caught her fancy quite like he did. No matter, by midday Lelana set flight to the sky again in search of the ruins. Finally she had caught a glimpse of the mortal everyone in her kingdom was raving about. She couldn’t wait to meet her. 

\---------

Jareth awoke in the library yet again holding a dusty book in his ungloved hands. A knock came at the door. “Enter.” He said tiredly. “Your majesty, King Siyamin has sent word that a mortal was spotted in the forest of Iys.” A small brown goblin weakly said. Jareth sat up in his chair turning to meet his eyes. “When have you received his word?” He asked. “Moments ago your majesty, he says that a traveller from the forest mentioned the girl near the lake Bethaal.” Jareth stood from his chair. “A girl?!” “Yes sir, they say she had an aura following behind her.” “Send word to Siyamin that he must have a subject search the forest! Find that girl! Bring her to me!” He yelled at the goblin. “Might your highness not send one of us?” The goblin asked. “Are you daft? We haven’t the ability to enter the forest you sod! Now go! Quickly!” The king bellowed. The goblin scurried away down the hall, Jareth turned back to the window. 

He looked out over his labyrinth, the land beyond was still orange and sandy like it always had been but, off in the distance he spied the forest. It was a mere spall speck in the vast land to his eyes. He always longed to go there, longing to see how Lelana faired ruling, now with the strange girl in her land he worried for her. Perhaps if it was who he suspected, if she had run through any troubles. His heart beat at the thought of both of them. The memories of the rejections from his past stung bittersweetly. He loathed the thought of being tied down with marriage but, all the same he wished for company. He coveted Sarah many a year, and Lelana even more before then. The thought that the two should meet in any circumstance was worrying in and of itself. Should Sarah confess to Lelana her thoughts for him, he feared Lelana may agree. 

Mostly out of concern the king paced in his study. Awaiting the words from both king syamin and any word on the mortal girl. His thoughts raced still like they had been so recently. Perhaps it is Sarah, maybe she would have a change of heart on him and his choices. Although, not his personal preference, Jareth often used to keep the mortal children abandoned by siblings and parents, cursed to watch them turn and transform into scraggly beings, putting them to work. He often wondered if they remembered their mortal life. If they had any recollection of it at all. He knew that even his childhood and past was very foggy. The one thing he did remember so clearly was Lelana. She was his refuge for so long. 

In the midst of growing up to fill his fathers boots and be granted the throne, Lelana was there to help him through it. He hadn’t remembered how she came to live in the castle but, he had suspected that she was an abandoned child. After all before Jareth came to rule over the kingdom many of the children who lay abandoned would never turn into such beings, forgetting their past or forever in remembrance of it. They were simply children. Which is why so many of the subjects he governs over in the outer rims of his kingdom were mortals. A lot of them even traveling to the forest, King Siyamin’s kingdom Raa and Alda’s kingdom, Nayvit. Something about his coronation had cursed the land he believed after so many years. Caused it's magic to sour into something dark thus causing the children to sour themselves. It saddened him. Watching all those rejected children being formed into something they were not. Perhaps Lelana has barely missed the transformation after all. 

As he continued his thinking he spied his messenger exit the walls of his surrounding inner city. Expected that he should have fair travels to Raa, he watched him dissipate. He needed answers now more than ever, and especially needed to make sure Lelana hadn’t run into any troubles with who he believed to be Sarah, or heard his past transgressions to her. Although he hadn’t exactly known why it mattered so. Parts of him still very much loved Lelana but, the thought of his two past love interests joining forces made his insides nauseous. 

—————

Sarah ran through the woods and trampled foliage beneath her sneakers. She hadn’t the slightest clue as to how she ended up in the underground. She was scared and tired. For hours she traveled, running as quickly as possible away from the gates of a kingdom of which she assumed to be ruled by Jareth. She wondered to herself as she ran if perhaps the entire land was ruled by him, settling on the thought that yes if most likely was. Running amuck in a strange land that was ruled over by a past villain was reason enough to be scared but after the moment she had come face to face with a tree that dawned faces she ran faster. 

It was odd in her mind that the thoughts of the knockers’ faces from her past travels here would just so happen to be upon the trunk of a tree she passed it. She wondered if it was a type of cruel punishment for helping her through the maze. Either way, alive or dead, she was startled. Cutting course and continuing on in the direction she assumed was straight. Soon after she found herself surrounded by overgrown plants and trees. 

She ran and ran until her body couldn’t any longer, finally stopping to rest by a lake she hadn’t seen before. With the thought of the unfamiliar territory cane a strange comfort to her. If she hadn’t seen it while she was here last time perhaps this was land that is too far from the kingdom. Her hands had dried bits of blood and dirt on them, slapping away branches and leaves while running away was an unceasing necessity for traveling. Catching her breath she took her bracelet that dawned her name off to rinse it, and proceeded to do the same with her hands. The cool sting of the water relaxes her a bit. Until she heard voices. She stood up from the bank of the lake and peered at her surroundings, taking in the scene of what looked like humans headed this way. 

Fearing they may be Jareth's subjects she darted for the edge of a thickening area of the woods and pressed on. Only stopping to catch small glimpses of the people behind her. She sat at the base of the tree for a moment to catch her breath again. It was becoming increasingly harder to breathe the longer she had been here. Furthermore to add to her misfortune, her face and hands had been itchy and almost tingling all day. The sounds of the people behind her grew increasingly louder as if more had come to join them. Fearing they may spot her, she picked up for a final time. Delving deeper into the woods. 

The exhaustion of Sarah’s body was immense. She half heartedly walked without purpose other than to escape. Her foot hit a small stone buried within the ground and she fell to meet with it. Her body tired and her mind absolutely exhausted from racking her brain for answers and reasonings. She felt the cold earth beneath her as the night came upon her. Shrouding her in darkness, she turned herself to look to the sky, letting the stars rise. “Somebody..” she said quietly before hot tears rolled down her cheeks. “Somebody take me away from this awful place.” She whispered. Her voice had been cracking as she spoke, dried out from the lack of water. She licked her lips in memory and desperation. Closing her eyes, all she could think of with her exhaustion was water. Her face began to tingle again, small pin needles poked at her red cheeks until she felt something materialize in her hand. She lifted herself to see a glass of water. Without even a single suspicion she downed the water, letting it soothe her throat and give her life again. 

After guzzling the glass she let it fall from her lips only to never hear the glass hit the ground. She thought nothing of it until paranoia set it. Had Jareth sent this to her? Was it as the peach was? Where did it come from? Was it even water? She thought to herself. She looked around in panic, noticing behind her a decrepit and decaying set of stones. Moss had taken over them, and plants grew freely around it.

There were what seemed to be large stone stairs leading up to nothing, and a broken down frame of stones that resembled an archway followed by a mass grave of them. Whatever had destroyed this place was long gone as evidence by the overgrowth. Sarah quickly stumbled to her feet only to fall, and then try again, stumbling and falling stumbling and falling until she reached the steps. The moss was soft, and she thought to herself, if this were her last moments after drinking the water from her past enemy, she could at least appreciate the comfort of such a small thing. Out of either fear or sheer exhaustion, Sarah cried heavily, sobbing nearly into the earth before her cried gave way to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we continue. Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of my new book “The Forest Of Blue Iys” a fictional and alternate continuation of the stories of Jim Henson’s The Labyrinth. I hope you enjoyed getting to know Lelana in this chapter and I also hope you enjoy the journey that is to be. Please let me know in the comments! Happy reading. -S


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